I'm getting impatient waiting for the 6.4L
and I find myself looking over trucks on
the lot.

This is off topic, but, I was wondering if the
4x4 on the fly switch can be added by the
dealership? I don't want to pay up for a
new technology truck that you have to
get out of, in the snow, mud, etc., to change
to four wheel drive.

Please, somebody, answer this. Thanks.

Secondary question. What was wrong with the 7.3L
diesel? Too fuel inefficient? Maintenance? What?
Thanks.

 

No you can't add on electronic 4x4 switch, but they put a nifty stick shift on the floor so no reason to get out in the mud/snow.

p.s. Either way the hubs are auto and manual lock both I believe and even if they are manual only just lock them up before you head out.

 

Nothing was wrong with the 7.3L diesel, it was just a casualty of increasingly tougher to meet emission standards.

 

No you can't add on electronic 4x4 switch, but they put a nifty [font=verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif][font=verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif]stick [/font][font=verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif]shift[/font][/font] on the floor so no reason to get out in the mud/snow.

p.s. Either way the hubs are auto and manual [font=verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif][font=verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif]lock[/font][/font] both I believe and even if they are manual only just lock them up before you head out.

Now I'm confused.

What does the 4X4 on the fly switch do? It can't simply replace or somehow move the shift lever on the floor, can it?

I always thought that the 4X4 switch somehow locked the wheels, so that you could then shift in to four wheel drive.

So, what the story?


Thanks.

 

The 4x4 switch controls an electric motor on the transfter case. This motor replaces the transfer case shifter. The motor shifts the transfer case in and out of 4x4. There are also automatic hubs included so that you don't have to get out to lock the hubs.

 

As stated above, yes, the electronic shift is a replacement for the stick shift on the floor. The auto lock hubs are mechanically engaged by the rotation of the axles when in 4x4. I believe all Ford trucks have auto hubs. You can have the option of a manual lock as well. The manual lock has the added benefit of being locked 100% of the time where the auto lock will disengage and reengage when you go from forward to reverse or the opposite.

 

Regarding hubs:

The auto locking hubs on superduties are vacuum actuated. Mechanically engaged auto hubs are pre-1997.

There are two different types of hubs on current Superduties.

1 Auto Locking. You can turn the dial on the hub between "Auto" and "Locked" These are only on trucks that have electronic shift on the fly. in "Auto" mode, when you flip the switch on the dash, vacuum is applied to the hubs locking them in. they remain locked in, by vacuum, until you switch back to 2wd. If you turn the dial on the hubs to "Locked" they are then locked in until you unlock them again regardless of whether you are in 4wd or not.

2 Manual Locking. You can turn the dial on the hub between "Unlocked" and "Locked" These are only on the trucks that have a manually shifted transfer case (stick on the floor). With these Superduties, when you want to us 4wd, you have to get out and lock in the hubs before shifting the transfer case (via stick) into 4wd. when you are done, you have to unlock the hubs. In the winter time around here, a Vacuum a lot of guys just leave there hubs locked in until spring.

The Vacuum actuated Auto hubs found on trucks with electronic shift on the fly are notorious for failing. The problem is that over time the seals in the hubs dry up, causing vacuum leaks, resulting in the hubs not locking automatically. Some people replace the seals others just get out and turn the hubs to "locked" when ever they need to use 4wd.

 

Regarding the what the Shift on the Fly switch does:

1 It activates the electric motor that shifts the transfer case in to the desired 4wd setting (4HI, 4LO)

2 It actuates vacuum to the hubs causing them to engage/disengage.

 

This may sound dumb, but do you have to remove the wheel center cover that's over the hub to allow this to be done regularly, or is it something that can be done and left locked. I take it by the comment that guys in norhtern Iowa leave them locked all winter. Does it have any negative effects on the hub? My autolock hubs are auto-non-lock. I don't want to pay $200 or so each for new hubs. If I can lock them and leave them locked with no ill effects, that's what I'll do.

Thanks for any help.

Tom

 

No, on the Trucks that have User lockable hubs (F-250 on up) there is nothing covering the hub, as seen in this photo:



On smaller trucks, like my 06 F-150, you can't lock the hubs yourself.

Most do not, but some do. The guys that do spend most of there time driving unplowed/gravel/off road areas. Even these guys will get out and unlock there hubs if they are going to drive over 15 mi on the Hwy/Interstate.

Not so much the hub itself, but your front U joints and front Differental will recieve extra wear. Are you saying that your auto locking hubs dont work anymore, or that your truck just has manual locking hubs.

Again, if you have a Superduty (F-250 on up) you can just get out and engage them manually. If you do leave them locked in you will have to replace your front U joints more often, not to mention wearing out your front end in general.

Hope that makes sence,

T. J.

 

I always order a truck with the manual hubs and manual shift. I use 4Wd a lot also. The auto stuff will always break down and have problems way before you'll have any problem with manual stuff.

I always unlock my hubs as soon as I get back on the dry pavement, as I don't want to put wear on my front drivetrain, plus it's harder on steering.

I think manual is a plus, I wouldn't want a truck with the auto stuff, unless I was a city guy that only used 4WD now and then in a snow storm.

 

My autolock hubs have evidently gone bad. I have an F-150 supercrew, so I don't have the type that can be set manually.


I have been trying to find info on changing the autolock hubs to manual hubs, but have been unable to find that it can be done. I'm gonna have to do something before deer season (in Texas, gun season runs from the first Saturday in November to the first Sunday in January). I can get by without 4x4 until then, but it's not as much fun.

 

You won't find much F-150 help/experience here in a Diesel Super Duty forum.

 

I think your 7.3 question has been answered.

Normally I would move the thread for you but, since you made this off topic thread a a two-part question with unrelated topics, you may want to start a thread in the 4X4 forum for your 4X4 question.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum63/